GunnerBill

I think Flo was harshly treated in Miami, but I don't know if I'd have him on the same tier as those other guys.

I think they were hoping for a mutual parting of the ways type deal like Coughlin in New York or Payton in New Orleans. Bill has dug his heels in and said "nope, if you don't want me you can fire me, I have a contract and I am staying." Now faced with actually firing him I suspect the Krafts are suffering from sweaty palms... among other things.

It isn't. I didn't make it one. But Josh didn't throw the ball to the boundary. If he had, he wouldn't have been picked. It would have been incomplete and they would have been kicking a FG. He didn't know where Gabe was he was falling backwards and he just guessed and let the ball go.

Yes, but why?

I know all that. That wasn't relevant to my point.

Or conversely you will be a fan of the Quarterback and still start each assessment entirely neutrally and look objectively at is he at fault or not. For example, two that immediately come to mind this year where Josh was just pure unlucky against the Giants and the Buccs where tips that might otherwise have fallen safe just happened to fall to a defender. The Denver one you mentioned yourself I think he throws it harder than he needed to but Gabe can come down with that ball. The hail mary at the end of the Jets first half... not a mistake by Josh. There are INTs that I don't put on him. The one against the Bengals I put on the receiver as well (was that Gabe too? Can't recall). So this isn't a blame Josh for everything. It is try and be objective about each incident in isolation.

Yep. That is Buffalo and Kansas City now. Some of the Fins fans want to swap Tua for Justin frickin Fields. They'd commit 1st degree murder for Pat or Josh.

He doesn't. He admitted himself above that because he is a Josh fan he finds a way to pin mistakes on others.

No your QB needs to not guess which way his receiver has gone on an option route when he can't really see through the rush and just protect the ball, eat the sack, kick the FG and live to fight another day. If that is the final drive of the game - fine. On the first drive of the game it is a totally unnecessary mistake. The second interception he comes off the right read that would have had the first down. Once he comes off that I don't mind him heaving it to the endzone, but he should have gone with the initial read. It wasn't a lousy call. The play was there to make Allen bails on it too quickly and starts ad-libbing. I know there are plays where he does that and makes an incredible play. And when he does he gets and deserves the credit. But when it goes wrong he should be held accountable. And he holds himself accountable, rightly.

With their own backups I agree. Because Huntley >>> Kyle Allen. But if you give them the same non-specific backup QB.... I dunno if you put Gardner Minschew on the Bills and Gardner Minschew on the Ravens I don't think there would be much difference. Might be a game either way.

I disagree that was the only mistake. I put both interceptions primarily on Josh. But I agree if Cook catches a ball that he has to catch it is 14 all at the half. What I was disputing was the inference that unless you excuse Josh for the mistakes you can't be a Josh fan. I am a Josh fan, he is the most watchable player in football and while I would still rank Mahomes #1 I wouldn't swap Josh Allen for any player in football. There is nobody else I'd rather were the Bills Quarterback. But I also apply the same standard to him that I apply to everyone else on the Bills and everyone else in the league and when I see a mistake I call it out.

I'm a Josh fan. I also try and be objective about what happens on the field. I don't absolve him of mistakes he makes. Not does he, by the way. It is what I love about him. He knows and admits he was beating us in the first half. He came out and put that right, especially in the 4th Quarter where he willed us to victory.

Yea we all owe @SDS our gratitude.

Most interesting thing on this list is that the Commanders have requested an interview with Will McClay. He is one of the best talent evaluators in football. The reason the Cowboys have drafted well in recent years is because Stephen Jones wrestled control of the draft off Jerry and gave it to Will McClay. They have made him very comfortable financially to compensate for not having the GM title but I have always wondered if, at some point, he is stealable. New ambitious ownership, willing to spend money, starting from scratch in DC.... if they gave him power over the coaching search too that would be an enticing offer.

If I was a mess Jim Harbaugh would be my first call. Nobody does culture change better than him. He has now got over the hump and finally become a winner so maybe he is the #1 anywhere but he is known as difficult to work with. He creates tension and dysfunction. I just think those types are short shelf life. Vrabel to be honest is similar. He is not out in Tennessee because of two losing seasons. He is out in Tennessee because of two general managers. Neither of whom he could get on with. Eventually when that is the case teams conclude you might be the issue. If I was a team that I thought was close and just needed better coaching I'd start with Ben Johnson. I don't think he is the offensive genius some do but that almost improves my opinion of him as a Head Coach candidate. I think his offense is pretty simplistic. But it leans heavily into what his players can do and who they are. And it is that awareness and player centric approach that gives me hope he will be a good one. And then there is Bill Belichick. If he is fired and I was Washington, 2nd pick in the draft, some pieces, just need a QB, easier conference.... man I'd think long and hard about Belichick. But I would make him work with a GM. I think those four stand out in a rather thin HC candidate pool. I like Bobby Slowick but I hate hiring guys as Head Coaches based on 1 sparkling year as a coordinator. If he backs up next year then he would absolutely be high on my list for 2025. Brandon Staley is the cautionary tale of the 1 year coordinator hotshot.

And even those who don't like McDermott for gameday decision making should acknowledge he is an excellent Monday to Saturday coach. They get guys prepared to play. Their backups are coached up well.

No. His dad was LB coach. Bobby Jnr was safeties coach then switched over when his dad retired.

Whay has he got the face paint on? What a tool.

Teams definitely looking at the Beane tree.

He is not our best offensive weapon but he has developed this year into the guy I thought he could be coming out. I had a 3rd round grade on him and thought he was a steal in the 5th. But he came from a really gimmicky offense at Boise and my prediction at the start of last season was it'd take some time and he'd start to come on late last year. He didn't, he struggled all year to separate and to catch the ball and then he had a poor camp this past summer and there was a point where I thought it might not happen. But 611 yards in his second season... 363 of them since Brady took over. Lots of encouragement that he can really be a part of this team the next couple of years.

FWIW the Ravens are 3-8 without Lamar the past 3 years compared to 28-12 with him. Hard to know what the Bills would be without Allen because he always plays. But in 2021 Baltimore were in the #1 seed spot when Lamar got hurt and missed the playoffs. Last year they were the #2 seed when he got hurt and ended up as a wildcard who was 1 and done. Lamar is pretty critical to the Ravens results. I am not sure there would be much difference between them without him and the Bills without Josh tbh... I can. Jets. Eagles. Chargers. And that is just from the top of my head.

I don't. It is a paint by numbers scheme. You have to execute the reads perfectly and play in structure. It is not a scheme friendly to out of structure players. He wouldn't suck in it, he is too good, but it wouldn't show him to best effect.

Dorian was a particularly bad fit against the Dolphins. Because misdirection is his worst enemy at the moment. His head is still spinning at the best of times. Good physical attributes but too raw. I thought Spector played really well. I have gone from the start of the year thinking the LB room was a mess to now thinking we have some young talent in there and if we can get Captain Cookie back to his best next year it could be very good.

You are fooling nobody. You are a Dolphins fan.

I was not a fan of him doing both jobs and at mid-season I was firmly, he gives up DC or you fire him at the end of the season. But he did appear to find a better balance down the stretch and I don't think the team looked as rudderless. A really good journo would find a way to ask a question at the end of season presser, whenever that comes, as to what changes he made to the way he combined the duties as the season went on and ask it in a way that elicits an answer from Sean. But I am noy holding out much hope from our lot. Yes